Connecting device.



R. WfFBANKLIN.

CONNECTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. 191B.

1 ,30 1A 1 '7' Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Fig. 1.

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N ITED STATES PATENT RAY W. FRANKLIN, OF MON'IICELLO, IOWA, ASSIGNOR T0FRANKLIN BARN EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF MONTICELLO, IOWA, A CORPORATION OFMAINE.

CONNECTING- DEVICE.

LIMHAHW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 11919.

Application filed April 6, 1918. Serial No. 227,148.

1 b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAY W. FRANKLIN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Monticello, Jones county, Iowa, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Connecting Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in connecting devices, and theobject of my improvement is to supply a rigid securing means forelements positioned angularly to each other, which will permit relativeplay in one direction to one element, while resisting stresses actingthereon in other directions.

This object I have accomplished by the means which are hereinafterdescribed and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a swinging gate whoseframe includes a plurality of my improved connecting devices, a part ofone gate-stile being broken away; Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a largerscale of one of said connectin devices; Fig. 3 is a cross-section thereoand Fig. 4: is a plan View thereof.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

In Fig. 1 is shown a flexible gate whose rear stile 1 is hinged at 10 toa rear post 9. Both the rear stile 1 and the front stile 8 are formed ofU-bars, which are connected together pivotally at tops and bottoms bymeans of horizontal pipes or tubes 7. The stiles are also connected bymeans of netted wire, while a wire 11 leads from one end of the rearstile 1 diagonally across the length of the gate to a clip 12 slidablyadjustably mounted about the front stile 8, whereby the frame parts ofthe gate may be flexed in a well-known manner to raise or lower itsforward free end.

Referring now to the other figures, the numeral 2 denotes a sleevefixedly mounted on a tube 7 near one end thereof by meansthat both thesleeve 2 and its forks 4 are set back from the extremity of the tube 7,said extremity passing between the opposed inner walls of said stile asfar as possible and contacting therewith. Orifices are supplied in saidforks, stile and tube extremity to receive a pivot-bolt 5, which istightly secured by means of a nut 6, the orifices 13 in said forks fbeing elongated longitudinally .to permit adjustments thereof relativeto the stile when necessary.

It will be seen that the tube 7 may swing in one direction on thepivot-bolt 5. The elements of the connection, however, are so assembledand associated as to make a very strong and rigid joint, such as willbest resist torsional strains without breaking or distorting any elementthereof, as might occur with a long heavy gate whose tube parts 7 exertconsiderable leverage. As will be best seen in said Fig. 4c, theextremity of the tube 7 has a relatively long contact with the innerwalls of the U-bar 1, thus affording an additional grip andreinforcement besides the clamping engagement of the forks & with theouter walls of the U-bar. The whole thickness of the tube 7 is thereforemade available as a reinforcement of the joint, which relieves the forks4 of most of the strain, besides giving said tube an additional pivotalbearing on the pivotbolt 5.

While my improved connecting device is illustrated in use in connectingthe frame elements of a gate, it is obvious that it may be employed toconnect any two bodies to gether without departing from the principle ofmy invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

In combination, a body having an opening. a beam having one extremitymounted within the opening of said body to engage its opposite innerwalls, a sleeve fixedly mounted on said beam and having forks spanningand engaging opposite outer faces of said body, all said partsbeingorificed in line, the tasks being. elem gated longitudinally, apivot-bolt seated in Signed at Monticello, Iowa, this 25th day saidalined orifices, and securing-means adof March, 1918. justably mountedon said pivot-bolt to secure said parts together in engagement While 5permitting swinging movements in one \Vitnesses:

plane only to said beam relative to said MARGARET QUIRK, body. E. E.REED.

RAY W. FRANKLIN.

Copies of this went may be 'obtainecl or dive centu each, by addressingthe commissioner of Patents,

1 Washington, D. G.

